We always try our best to challenge your creativity and get you out of your comfort zone. In all these years we’ve been running it, our monthly wallpapers challenge has turned out to be the perfect occasion to do just that: to put your creative skills to the test, try out a new technique you haven’t tried before, tell a story that matters to you, or indulge in a little project just for fun. And, well, the submissions that reach us every month always make for a unique collection of community artworks, adorning desktops and phone screens and, who knows, maybe even sparking new ideas.
It wasn’t any different this time around. Created with love by designers and artists from across the globe, the wallpapers in this collection all come in versions with and without a calendar for May 2021. For some extra variety, we also compiled a little best-of with designs from our archives at the end of this post. Thank you to everyone who took on the challenge and shared their wallpapers with us — you’re smashing! Happy May!
- You can click on every image to see a larger preview,
- We respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.
Submit a wallpaper!
Did you know that you could get featured in our next wallpapers post, too? We are always looking for creative talent! Join in! →
From Nope To Hope
Hope helps us define what we want in our futures and is part of the self-narrative about our lives we all have running inside our minds. Whether we think about it or not, hope is a part of everyone’s life. Everyone hopes for something. It’s an inherent part of being a human being. — Designed by Hitesh Puri from Delhi, India.
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- without calendar: 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Night Falls In Cairo
Night falls in Cairo and it is the perfect moment to walk through its streets and its pyramids. — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.
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- without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Working From Home
After more than a year of working remotely, we have developed a lasting connection between our decorated home offices, our outdoor spaces, and our beloved pets. Our diverse environments play a role in our newfound identities as we learn to navigate a remote world. — Designed by Mad Fish Digital from Portland, OR.
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- without calendar: 320×480, 1024×1024, 1280×720, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 2560×1440
The Off-Hours Guardian
In May, we are marking Labour Day, the international holiday celebrating workers’ achievements and urging fair pay and better working conditions. But for many, this day will be a reminder of countless hours of overtime, stress, and strain caused by tight deadlines, lack of workers’ rights for freelancers, and a paycheck that covers just the basics. Our thoughts are with all of you who will spend International Workers’ Day at their jobs, with freelancers fighting for their rights, and with anyone who feels difficulty maintaining their work-life balance. — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.
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- without calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
That’s Cracking
Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.
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- without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 3840×2160
Love Japanese Food
Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.
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- without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 3840×2160
American French Fries
Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.
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- without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 3840×2160
Oldies But Goodies
Some bold, others delicate, some minimalist, others witty — the May wallpapers which reached us in the past few years are as diverse as the artists who created them. Here are some of our favorites from the past. Which one is yours? (Please note that these designs come from our archives and, thus, don’t include a calendar.)
Today, Yesterday, Or Tomorrow
During the last few months we have experienced significant and profound changes in our lifestyle and work habits due to the pandemic. One of the most signifcant changes is how we relate to time. Our day to day blurs as we try to make the best of this situation while hoping for a better tomorrow. While working on my daily lettering practice, I lost track of time and thought what day is it today? From there, I wondered if it was today, yesterday, or tomorrow. The rest followed as I kept thinking how time and routine or the new routine of being home blurs the days for each of us. — Designed by Alma Hoffmann from the United States.
Sweet Lily Of The Valley
“The ‘lily of the valley’ came earlier this year. In France, we celebrate the month of May with this plant.” — Designed by Philippe Brouard from France.
Spring Gracefulness
“We don’t usually count the breaths we take, but observing nature in May, we can’t count our breaths being taken away.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.
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Spring Is In The Air
Spring is the most inspiring time of the year, so I’ve decided to create this wallpaper to celebrate this beautiful season. — Designed by Hristina Hristova from Bulgaria.
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Enjoy May!
“Springtime, especially Maytime is my favorite time of the year. And I like popsicles — so it’s obvious isn’t it?” — Designed by Steffen Weiß from Germany.
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Poppies Paradise
Designed by Nathalie Ouederni from France.
May The Force Be With You
“Yoda is my favorite Star Wars character and ‘may’ has funny double meaning.” — Designed by Antun Hirsman from Croatia.
Birds Of May
“A little-known ‘holiday’ on May 4th known as ‘Bird Day’. It is the first holiday in the United States celebrating birds. Hurray for birds!” — Designed by Clarity Creative Group from Orlando, FL.
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April Showers Bring Magnolia Flowers
April and May are usually when everything starts to bloom, especially the magnolia trees. I live in an area where there are many and when the wind blows, the petals make it look like snow is falling. — Designed by Sarah Masucci from the United States.
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Cool As An Octopus
A fear I need to conquer inspired this wallpaper design. I never really liked the ocean because of how much we don’t know about it or anything that lives in it. However, I have decided to try and focus on the beautiful parts of this great unknown by choosing an octopus. — Designed by Alexandra Covaleski from the United States.
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Mental Health Awareness Day
Designed by Kay Karremans from Belgium.
Leaves Of Grass
For many, the month of May is the preferred month of the year. Nature blossoms, birds sing, and leaves of grass sprout all around us. Coincidentally, this is the month at the end of which the poet Walt Whitman was born. As he said in his famous poetry collection: ‘Spontaneous me, Nature, The loving day, the mounting sun, the friend I am happy with, The arm of my friend hanging idly over my shoulder.’ Sounds like a perfect setting to fly a kite — so, let’s get to it! — Designed by PopArt Studio from Novi Sad, Serbia.
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Asparagus Say Hi!
“In my part of the world, May marks the start of seasonal produce, starting with asparagus. I know spring is finally here and summer is around the corner when locally-grown asparagus shows up at the grocery store.” — Designed by Elaine Chen from Toronto, Canada.
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Celestial Longitude Of 45°
“Lixia is the 7th solar term according to the traditional East Asian calendars, which divide a year into 24 solar terms. It signifies the beginning of summer in East Asian cultures. Usually begins around May 5 and ends around May 21.” — Designed by Hong, Zi-Cing from Taiwan.
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Stone Dahlias
Designed by Rachel Hines from the United States.
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Hope Shakes The Branches
The promise of the return of spring feels normal in our new strange and abnormal world. — Designed by Jeffrey Berg from the United States.
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Make A Wish
Designed by Julia Versinina from Chicago, USA.
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Old vs. New
Designed by Wannes De Roy from Belgium.
Be On Your Bike!
“May is National Bike Month! So, instead of hopping in your car, grab your bike and go. Our whole family loves that we live in our bike-friendly community. So, bike to work, to school, to the store, or to the park — sometimes it is faster. Not only is it good for the environment, but it is great exercise!” — Designed by Karen Frolo from the United States.
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Mondriaan
Designed by Siemon Donvil from Belgium.